What is Buddhism?

The intention of having this topic in writing, came after some reflections on the questions about Buddhism that my surrounding friends posted every now and then. If there are views that are not in accordance to the Teachings, please bear with me as it is due to my lack of understanding.

Buddhism is commonly regarded as a religion by the general populace. How do we define a religion? From what we can gather in our daily lives, a religion is usually made out to be a belief in and reverence for a creator and governor of the universe. It can also be seen as a personal or institutionalized system with its ways of worships made on the same beliefs.

Based on such a definition, can we look upon Buddhism as a religion? Before we jump into any conclusion, it will be best if we have a better understanding of Buddhism and its origins.

Buddhism has its origins in India from a monk named Gautama who attained the Great Awakening in his thirties. Right after attaining enlightenment, a man who was greatly impressed by his radiance, went up and asked, "Who are you? Are you a man or are you a god?". Monk Gautama replied, "I'm neither. I'm awake." Thereafter, he was known as the Buddha, meaning "One who has Awoke".

In his first discourse that he delivered (also one of the most important discourses he made), he talked about the Four Noble Truths. They are

1. There is suffering;
2. There is a cause of suffering;
3. There is cessation of suffering;
4. There is a path leading to the cessation of suffering.

To awaken to the truth about this conditioned world and to end suffering, one must uproot ignorance as the roots of suffering lie in ignorance itself. How do we do it then? In Buddhism, to uproot ignorance, one leads the Noble Eightfold Path which entails the following

1. Right Views
2. Right Thoughts
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Mindfulness
7. Right Effort
8. Right Concentration

When we talk about ignorance in Buddhism, we mean to say that one takes to believing what is impermanent to be permanent and non-self to be self. This is also where many starts to hear about emptiness. Emptiness in Buddhism is not just being empty but it is to mean that all is empty of a independent self, there is non-self, there is dependent co-arising.

As the Buddha has put it nicely, "This is because that is. That is because this is. This is not because that is not. That is not because this is not." For if there is a a independent self, it will not need to grow, to interact with the rest of this world thus it cannot be known to us. As such, it is necessary to uproot such false views for liberation, total freedom.

Furthermore it is also important to note that Buddha believes that everyone is liable for their own actions and conduct, most importantly, their own liberation. He dismissed the idea that there is an ultimate creator for if there is, then there would be no recourse for those who did great wrongs. And that there are murderers, thieves, rapists and evil-doers are at no fault and wrong as they are not here on their own intentions but they are here for the only reason that they are created to do wrong in the first place by this ultimate creator.

Furthermore the Buddha has chosen to remain silent on several occasions when he was posed with questions that revolves around the topic of an eternal world or eternal soul. He liken the people who asked such questions to someone who has been wounded by an arrow.

Instead of treating and taking care of the wound immediately, the wounded choose to first find out, where did the arrow come from, who shot it, what was the texture of the arrowhead and what wood is the arrow made of and refusing treatment till these questions are answered. Such questions do not deserve our attention as the answers will not bring one closer to enlightenment. Rather cultivation of oneself for liberation is far more important than questions on the metaphysical.

There is so much more to Buddhism and i have barely scratched on it. I will be more than glad to share more about it but in the meantime, think about it, what about your views on Buddism now - Is Buddhism a religion or is it something else or more? =)

Lunch Talk - Balanced Life

QY, my good old secondary school friend, was having her training at Park View Square and we met each other for lunch. It was a good lunch and to top it up, we had an excellent conversation about our personal views on having a well balanced life.

What is a well balanced life? I'm sure everyone of us has a common answer for it. It is the sort of life that we lead in order to bring joy and happiness into the various aspects of everyday living. Some of the main aspects being spiritual, social, intellectual and work.

Of course, everyone is unique and so places different emphasis on each single aspect of their life. There is no right and wrong weightage nor is there a standard amount of attention that one should place for each. As long as it brings about temporal and ultimate happiness, then one can consider that the current way that one leads their life is a good way. If it brings about suffering in our life, then we should reflect and try to reorganise our life style.

During our conversation, we reached a common understanding and i would like to draw your attention to this fact. The fact that we tend to neglect the social aspect of our life. It seems that most metropolitans living in a fast paced city tend to spend very little quality time with their family and friends. This is a well known fact and it is hardly healthy at all.

For simplification purposes, let's look at the average life of an working adult working from 9 to 6 during the weekdays and assuming we rests an average of 8 hours per day. On a normal working day, that is a total of 17 hours gone, leaving you with 7 hours. Take away 2 or 3 hours for travelling time to and fro, we probably have about 4 hours left. 4 hours left each day to do whatever is required to fulfill your social, intellectual and spiritual aspects of living. Seems hardly enough especially when we have to make up for the other 3 main aspects of our life.

We might argue that we have the whole of our weekend for the developing and fulfillment of all our other commitments. Giving us a total of 32 waking hours for the weekends and a total of 52 hours per week. That works out to be just slightly under half of our waking time (112 hours) per week. Is that enough? Some might say yes and some might say no. It's really up to the individual. But to me, if everything being equal, we are spending less than 50% of our time on 75% makeup of our life and more than 50% on 25% of our life's makeup.

Since we know that we might already be living an unbalanced lifestyle, do we really want to make it worse by getting our priorities wrong? Should we not pay more attention to some other things in our life that we may be neglecting all these while especially people like loved ones (parents, siblings, friends,etc...) ~ and i cannot stress more than enough ~ the study of our spiritual life so that we may lead our life with our surroundings in a more harmonious relationship (this is definitely lacking in a lot of us including myself).

I wish all of you well in finding the true path of your life and that you and your loved ones may always dwell in peace, joy and happiness! =)

Me ~ A Medic (haha, soon to be.....)

Has been a while since my last blog update. Some of you guys also noticed i haven't been online in msn for a couple of weeks. Haha, if you don't know, i'm having my In Camp Training (ICT) and i got slightly more than a week to go till the completion of my ICT.

Currently, doing a Medical Orderly Course at Civil Defence Academy at Jalan Bahar. Great training facilities but such a secluded place... haha, i got to wake up at 5.30 every morning and travel nearly 2 hours to get there....

It's a great course and we learned quite a number of stuff. Now, most of us are equipped with better knowledge of the human body and how it works. =) Of course, we are not as well trained as the paramedics or the full time medics. But some basic critical life saving skills were passed on to us, so that we may help one another in times of emergency.

Skills such as CPR, checking for vital signs, how to provide emergency first aid for wounded people were all part and parcel of the course. Yup, sure thing that we had tests for all these. e.g we performed a full CPR on a dummy and the computer actually has a print out for us grading our skills.

The more difficult test was to setup one of your buddies on a IV drip. haha, guess all of us were nervous about poking each other with needle of a substantial size. =)

Any volunteers out there for me to hone my IV drip skills? (^-^)

蘇慧倫 - 蘇慧倫 同名專輯

蘇慧倫 - a name that i'm sure most of us will find familiar with. The name of a young bubbly lady that captured thousands of hearts with catchy tunes such as Lemon Tree, 鴨子, 傻瓜 and classic love songs such as 我一個人住, 滿足. It has been quite a number of years since her last release, the latest being the compilation of her greatest hits in 2003.

This time, Tarcy chose a very different approach for this album and results? An absolute joy it was for me. I even find the album cover and fotos most complimentary to the general feeling the album is trying to achieve.

What about the songs? They were carefully selected (in my opinion) to portray the sense being of a girl who has walked through the paths of life. And in the process, she has grown wiser, stronger, more elegant and sensual. The general flow of the songs is good except no. 3 and 6 which i felt did not fit in all that well. Not saying that they are no good on their own (they are good songs to listen to individually) but somehow it seems to elude the general sense of smoothness in flowing from one track to the next.

As for the fotos, you'll find Tarcy in a simple white dress and most of the time, in the mood of reflective thoughts. And to be truthfully honest, i'm quite enthralled by these pics portraying a simple sense of elegancy in the nature of pure simplicity. =)

01. 不想想太多

02. 愛了就懂了

03. 我的勇敢我的快樂

04. 輪廓

05. 愛情華爾茲

06. 找到幸福那年

07. 告訴我

08. 我們

09. Hey Boy

10. 失眠特快車

Knowing You, Knowing Me

Sparked off by some recent conversations with different friends.

When you will truly know a person? Sometimes the answer can be a whole lifetime; and for some, it can be a very long time such as minimally a couple of years; and almost never within a few weeks or a few months. You may disagree with me but there is a difference between affinity (otherwise your commonly known chemistry or fate) and knowing a person well.

There can be spontaneity between two persons and they seem also to be able to know and complement the thinking of each other but that is not true knowing of a person. Of course there are certain people whom you can get to know much better or deeper in a shorter time frame than another person whom you may have known for a longer time. It all depends on each individual as each of our encouter is unique but it will definitely take time.

My friends, as you read this, ask yourself this question ~ how well do you know your good friends. I'm sure if you really look deeply and truthfully, then the answer is not very. There might be some mutual understanding and trust developed over the years but the answer remains the same, we don't. If not, how can we otherwise explain why married couples fight. If they truly know each other and developed their empathy for their partner to the point of perfection, there will not be any disagreement in the first place. That is why in relationship, we learn to communicate and be truthful and sincere about our dealings. If we have not done so in the past, let us do so in the present and the future.

Told a friend that there are 3 types of chemistry out there (sorry for generalisation as it can never be truly what you called an accruate reflection of reality but i need to illustrate my point) : -

1) people whom you develop an affinity for,

2) people who develop an affinity for yourself and

3) people who develop mutual affinity with you

The illustration came about as part of the explanation to my friend's question on my singlehood after so many years (haha) which is coming close to a decade. Not that i did not meet ladies that i feel that i have an affinity with but it also depends whether they feel the same thing for me too. I believe it has to be mutual and i do not believe in rushing into a relationship without knowing a person better and that takes time.

If we enter into a relationship whom we have an affinity for but your partner is pressed into the relationship and the chemistry is not mutual, the result can be devasating. What happened if your other half meets their deemed "One" in a later stage of the relationship? Your partner might feel obliged to stay on the relation and you may remain oblivious to that fact and he/she suffers as you are not his/her "True One". If not, he/she leaves you and if you can't let go, you will feel betrayed. Either way, someone gets hurt.

What happened if you are the one that the other party develops a chemistry for but you do not feel the same. Based on the above, my advice is ~ don't get involved if you can find your heart to care for that person. You do not want to hurt the person if the roles are as reversed in the above-mentioned scenario. As said many times before, compassion and love has to be tempered with wisdom, otherwise it will be idiotic compassion and love. This is also mindfulness training, to be mindful and considerate of the people that appear in your life, no matter how brief it may be. I think i made my point here. Do you get it?

My dear friends, i will continue more of this topic in private if you wish. Hahaha, I don't wish to bore the rest of my friends that only like to read very short entries.

Btw, for those in love, i wish you all the best in your relationships and that may be many moments of blissfulness for you and your partner. =)

In Remembrance of My Godmother, Xiang

In less than 3 months, our family had to deal with loss of another member, my aunt. She was more than aunt to me, she was also my godmother.

But the one most affected was my uncle, having to deal with the loss of a brother (my 3rd uncle Hai) and now the loss of his wife, whom he shared his life with over the last 40 years. I pray that in his griefing, his health will not suffer as it had been a most heart wrenching sight to see him suffer so much.

My godmother was a lady that was well loved by us. She had always been there for us with a ready smile and if she ever had a temper, i can only say that she had one of the best temper in the world. She always looked out for her family and relatives, putting our interests before her own ~ the reason why many were greatly shocked and sadden by the sudden demise of this great lady.

I can still vividly remember the time she brought me to the clinic in a thunderstorm when i was a child as my mother was too busy attending to my vey young sister and baby brother. Such love for me and care for my family was shown in many more little instances throughout my life and i am extremely grateful for it.

I feel that the best way to remember her and to let her be alive in us is to live her way, her way of caring for others, to view other interests as important as our own.

With love to godma and may she be well and happy in her next life and may she attain nibbana soon.

For you godma ~
May all blessings be with you,
May all that is protect you,
By the protective powers of all the buddhas,
May safety ever be yours.

Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?

I'm not crazy but Ajahn Brahm sure made me giggled a lot these few days during my train rides! He sure lived up to his name being the Sienfield of Dhamma. =)

Just a little intro on Ajahn Brahm, he was born in 1951 in London and obtained his degree Theoretical Physics from the Cambridge University. After teaching for a year, he traveled to Thailand and was ordained as a forest monk. Now, he's residing as the abbot of a forest monastery in Perth, Western Australia.

In this book, Ajahn Brahm relates to the readers profound wisdom of daily lives through story-telling, which he believe is the most effective way of communicating. Some of his stories are hilarious while some are touching, all of them serve one common purpose, to inspire the readers in their daily dealings. Instead of trying to relate to you how good he is, here are two stories for you to read: ~

Commitment

My view of relationships and marriage is this: when the couple are going out, they are merely involved; when they are engaged, they are still only involved, maybe more deeply; when they publicly exchange marriage vow, that is commitment.

The meaning of the marriage ceremony is the commitment, During a ceremony, to drive home the meaning in a way people usually remember for the rest of their lives, I explain that the difference between involvement and commitment is the same as the difference between bacon and eggs.

At this point, the in-laws and friends start to pay attention. They begin to wonder, "What has bacon and eggs got to do with marriage?" I continue.

"With bacon and eggs, the chicken is only involved, but the pig is committed. Let this be a pig marriage."

Laughing At Yourself

One of the best peices of advice i received as a young school teacher was that when you make a mistake and your class starts laughing, then you laugh too. That way, your students are never laughing at you, but with you.

Many years later, as a teaching monk in Perth, i would be invited to high schools to give lessons on Buddhism. The teenage Western school kids would often test me out by trying to embarrass me. Once i asked for questions from the class, at the end of my description of Buddhist culture, a fourteen year old school girl raised her hand and asked, "Do girls turn you on, then?"

Fortunately, the other girls in the class came to my rescue and scolded the young girl for embarrassing them all. As for me, i laughed and noted the incident down as material for my next talk.
On another occasion, i was walking along a main city street when some school girls approached me, "Hi!" they said in the most friendly of manners, "Do you remember us? You came to give a talk at our school a short time ago."

"I am flattered that you remembered me," i replied.

"We'll never forget you," said one of the girls, "How can we ever forget a monk named 'Bra'!"

If that wasn't funny, what is? (^-^)

Old Path White Clouds - Walking In The Footsteps Of The Buddha

Old Path White Clouds presents the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha. Drawn directly from 24 Pali, Sanskrit and Chinese sources. Retold by Thay Thich Nhat Hanh at his inimitably beautiful style, the book traces the Buddha's life slowly and gently over the course of 80 years, partly through the eyes of Svasti (buffalo boy who was later admitted in the order of the Sangha) and partly through the eyes of the Buddha himself.

"I have not avoided including the various difficulties the Buddha encountered, both from his disciples and in relation to the wider society. If the Buddha appears in this book as a man close to us, it is partly due to the recounting of these difficulties." ~ Thay Thich Nhat Hanh

An immensely beautifully written book about the Buddha's life and teachings. Nothing written in the book was overly mystical or supernatural but it was whole-hearted attempt by Thay to bring the Buddha across as a human being that lived among us. A human who faced difficulties not so unlike those that we face today and how he overcame it with wisdom and compassion.

Although it's more than 500 pages in length but the book simply does not bore (i speak from my experience as i've read it twice). Written in a very simple and humble way, the book will be an easy read for most people. For those who seek to have a basic but clear understanding of the Buddha's life and teachings, this is a highly recommended book.

Many a times, i've found myself with moist eyes. Filled with a simple sense of joy and wonder as i read situations in the book describing how the people are transformed with love and compassion. Like myself, i'm sure it will touch most readers as they read this book, a book of the human ability to love and empathise. =)

Empty? Full? Part 2

The Lord continued,"Look deeply into the bowl and you'll see that it is empty and full at the same time."

Disciples asked,"Lord, will you explain further to us what you mean when you said it is both empty and full?"

Lord,"When i said that it is empty, i mean the bowl is empty of a separate self. It is not independent of all other phenomena. It is non-self. When i said it is full, it means it is full of the all other conditions that arisen in order for the bowl to exist here and now in this very moment. It is inter-being"

"If we look deeply, we can see the entire universe within the bowl. The potter and his skill, water, clay and fire made it possible for this bowl to arise. Even our awareness of the bowl lies within, if not how can the bowl exists to us? It cannot. Thus looking deeply, we can see the entire universe within. The presence of one phenomena implies the presence of all phenomenas. Such is the law of interdependent arising."

"Simply said, this is because that is, that is because this is."

There is so much of you in me and there is so much of me in you. Within all of us lies the entire universe. Any lesser, neither you or me can be here in this very moment. Not any of the wonders of this world or the people we loved so much could not have so much existed here and now. Knowing such, how can we not say hello and smile a little smile to all those that we hold dear? I'm smiling as i typed these very words. Are you smiling, my friend? =)

Haha, on a playful note ~ if you watched Madagascar, skipper says," Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave." =)

Empty? Full? Part 1

Holding up a bowl filled with water, the Lord asked his disciples, "Is this bowl full or empty?" One of them replied, "Lord, it is full."

Emptying the water, the Lord asked his disciples again, "Is this bowl now full or empty?" The same disciple replied, "My Lord, it is now empty."

The Lord exclaimed, "How can you say that! You should know better."
Seeing the perplexed faces of his disciples, he explained, "It is not empty, it is now full of air."

The dialog reminds us how misleading our perceptions can be. How our minds can be trapped by past perceptions, notions, dogmas and doctrines if we are to be too attached to what was in the past instead of being mindful of the present moment.

Non-duality is the true face of reality. To hold on to a view that it is or a view that it is not, can be erroneous. Reality needs to be experienced, it cannot be described by words or signs alone. Just like the bowl, it is experiencing reality fully without attachments, thus be it empty or full, it is in full contact with the present moment.

Heehee, maybe oneday, all of us will become bowls. To experience reality fully without attachments. =)

C & C ~ My Takes =)

C & C ~ Clarke Quay and Changi Boardwalk. Two very different sides of Singapore.

One's a bustling colourful street that comes to life as the sun sets, enchanting us with its beautiful lights. It's almost seems that it is requesting us to live life in the most colourful way we can ever be.

The other, however exudes a sense of peace and calmness among our hectic schedule. Somewhat reminding us to slow our pace down and to enjoy our life journey filling it with simplicity and joy.

Here's my take on them (links are below). Hope you'll enjoy the photos as much as i enjoy taking them. =)

Clarke Quay

Changi Boardwalk

潘嘉丽 - Love Me, Kelly

I did not follow the competition Project Superstar, pretty much did not know what to expect from 潘嘉丽 first debut solo album. Only time i heard her sing before this album were the numerous promotion clips for Project Superstar aired during TV commercial times.

It's definitely an album worth listening to. She carried the songs well. =) Hmm, i felt that there's a tinge of sandy lam in her voice. Sweet and soothing, excellent type of vocals for singing love ballads. Can't say much for her album cover and the pics provided. Pretty sure that she could have been made to look better in those album shots. Haha, it's pretty alright. Afterall, it's the songs and the voice behind them that really matters. =)

Just a bit of nit picking. The last song, 关于爱情, duet with 洪俊扬, does not fit into the overall theme. Sort of broke the tempo.

Recommended Tracks :
Track 2 爱, 无力
Track 3 答案
Track 5 有些爱
Track 6 非爱不可
Track 7 那一秒说的话
Track 9 美丽笨女人

The Art Of Happiness

A book where the east meets west, combining Dalai Lama's eastern spiritual tradition with psychiatrist Dr. Howard C. Cutler's western perspective.

It covers most areas of our human experience with the application of Tibetan Buddhism to everyday problems and how one can achieve peace and harmony. It is further augmented by Dr Howard's own observations and commentary.

As the basis of the book was on the numerous meetings that Dr Howard had with Dalai Lama, the book virtually comes to life as Dr Howard recounts their dialogs. It gives the reader a feeling that he or she was in the very room acting as a third party observer.

In the book, one underlying principle of the Dalai Lama was constantly stressed upon ~ that all of us have the innate desire to be happy. We know that people only hurt us because they want to be happy but due to their igorance, they have instead caused hurt. Knowing everyone around you shares the same innate desire to be happy, it makes it easier for us to forgive one another since we are all same in this fundamental manner. =)

One point in the book struck me ~ the subject of self-hatred. A well-known sickness of the mind in the field of psychiatric. Quite unknown to Dalai Lama at the time when this was first brought to his attention. As the book progressed, Dr Howard realised that self-hatred has its roots in our innate desire to be happy, to self-love. Acts of committing suicides, abusing themselves are the ignorant ways of people to escape suffering, to be happy.

Thus it is important that we understand love must come hand in hand with wisdom for us to lead a loving and meaningful lives that will benefit both ourselves and the people around. Think i'll stop here and sincerely wish that all of us will proceed with our lives with self-love and wisdom. =)

郭美美 ”不怕不怕”

Owned the album for sometime. Been wanting to write a quick review on it but just couldn't find the time to do so till now. So, here goes ~ I did not take a fancy to her first two singles, 老鼠爱大米 and 不怕不怕. It just didn't feel quite right and most likely, due to the songs themselves. It wasn't her, not quite her style.

If you have the same opinion as me, then i'm quite sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by her current album. Of course, her two singles are found in the album. What's more important are the songs that can be found within this album that truly showcases her talent. Her strong and distinct voice that wonderfully fills the sense of hearing of the listener. =)

Overall, a joy to listen to if you can bear with that 2 singles. =) Haha, there's always that skip button around, isn't it?

Recommended tracks:
Track 1 愛是你眼裡的一首情歌
Track 2 大聲說愛
Track 4 剪刀石頭布
Track 8 兩難
Track 9 回家真好

Broken Marriages

Met MM a couple of days back for dinner. After dinner, we had a nice cup of coffee at Dome Bishan. I still think Dome serves one of the most excellent hot coffee around (haha, can't say the same for their cold drinks though). =)

It was a nice evening chat, updated each other on our recent happenings. Among the topics and updates, we happened to touch on broken marriages. I supposed the topic popped up since all of us are at the common age for chancing upon such things, be it through ourselves, friends or any other mediums.

Why are there broken marriages? Of course, each case is unique to the circumstances and conditions that finally leads to the breakup and there are so many different factors involved. However, it is usually not a single factor that leads to the breakup. More than often, it is an accumulation of several factors over a period of time.

There is however one factor that i like to highlight. The factor of failing to recognise the transformation of love. First we have to understand that most of us fall in love, get together for a while before we tie the knots. More than often, such love is what we know as passionate love. Love that gives you excitement, makes your heart flutter everytime you see your sweetheart and puts you to heaven, above the clouds. Very nice feeling, a feeling that most of us yearn for.

After tying the knots and living with one another for a number of years, the couple realised that all the passion they felt during their courtship days and early days of marriage is no longer there. Life becomes somewhat peaceful and calm. They start to ask themselves what happened. Has the flame of love gone out? Does my partner still love me? Do i still love my partner? Finding no answers and unable to feel the passion anymore, they start to tell themselves that love is no longer there. From there, begins the downfall of the relationship. Sometimes, ending in divorces.

What they did not recognise was the very fact that the passionate love of a couple had transformed into a much more endearing type of kinship love between husband and wife. Instead of nuturing such love, they weaken and destroy it by looking elsewhere for passionate love once more. To feel the excitement once again.

Such kinship love is not easy to come by, it can take years to develop and nurture. It is the touching type of love where both partners come to accept each other truly as part of their life. Such love can create great understanding, trust and bondage between the couple. The problem with us it seems, instead of exploring the wonders of such love, we look and crave for past feelings. We stop living in the present where happiness can be truly found.

With all sincerity, i wish all of us will never fall into such blindness. To my all friends out there, may your marriage (for singles, that will be your future marriage lah) be filled with bliss in every moment. =)

Kamma

Had a conversation over msn with Su a couple days back and we briefly touched on the topic kamma. Decidedly to write something on it. If anything deviates from the teachings, then it is solely due to my limited understanding. Please let me know if that's the case so that i may deepen my understading. =)

Kamma, commonly known as the law of causes and effects. However, it is more than that. The law of causes and effects only form part of kamma. The word kamma implies volition meaning action with intention. Action here will encompass all three aspects, mental, speech and body. With every deed, it is naturally followed by an effect and this is how kamma came to be commonly known as the law of cause and effect.

Kamma itself can be a very broad subject but i'll try to touch on as much as to my limited knowledge. At the same time, i'll try to present it with an alternative view and how it may be applicable in our daily life. There are four main types of kamma. They are kamma that rippens in this birth, kamma that rippens in next birth, kamma that rippens in successive births and kamma that is ineffective due to a lack of auxillary conditions.

Some of us may find the notion of re-birth hard to swallow but why not look at the notion of re-birth to mean as seeing each moment anew. Or maybe you can think of it in such a way, each time you wake up, you are re-born as a new person. In that case, it is not so hard to relate to kamma. =)

As such, the first type of kamma can be looked upon as kamma that rippens immediately, e.g. the action of throwing a ball out of the hand, the effect is immediately seen as the ball flying away from you. The second type of kamma can be treated as kamma that rippens only in the next moment. e.g. the ball hits and breaks your neighbour's window after it is flung out of your hand. While the third type of kamma are those that bear fruits much later. e.g. your neighbour is out of town and doesn't know about the matter till he or she gets back. As for the last type, as the name suggest, kamma that doesn't rippen due to a lack of conditions. e.g. without a security camera, your neighbour may not find out who broke the window.

As mentioned kamma starts with intention. If we entertain certain thoughts long and often enough, it will leave an imprint powerful enough to materialise itself as speech or even physical actions. That is often why habits are hard to kick and also the reason why certain people keep repeating certain actions. As such, it is not hard to understand that all things are what we willed them to be with our kamma. Haha, reflecting on this fact, i think we should be honest enough to own up. A matter of conscience and also to refrain ourselves from making a habit out of lying and cowardice. =)

Kamma is then further divided into the following categories. Kamma that produces their own resultants, kamma that supplements (supports) the resultants of another, kamma that alters the resultants of another and kamma that destroys the resultants of another.

These kamma can be easier understood if we look at it using the examples of marble balls. Making use of one ball to hit another, it produces a direct effect of the second marble rolling in the direction that it was hit with earlier (own resultants). If we were to throw another and hit the second marble, mentioned earlier, in the same direction, it will help the marble to roll even further (supplement kamma). However, if we were to throw another from the side, it will alter the direction of the marble (altering kamma). But if we were to scoop the rolling marble up with our hand, we have stopped its rolling effects (destructive kamma). How it affects your daily lives, i leave this bit for you to contemplate. =)

Now that we understand that kamma is a natural law, it is just, it does not love nor hate. Life is conditioned the way it is being moulded by our very own actions. It is important for us to be mindful of our actions. Do bear this in mind that we are not due to receive our kamma in just proportion, we always have the choice to change them if we make the effort. A good example is in the earlier example of rolling marble. Without interference, it will continue to roll in that straight line. However, if we are quick enough to throw out another ball, then it can be enough to hit the first ball and alter its original course or even stop it in its track.

Actually kamma is more much more than what i have written but it's late in the nite. Think I'll just stop here. Yawnzz, nite nite. =)

A Tribute to My Beloved Late Uncle Choon Hai

There's really a lot i like to put down in words but i find it somewhat difficult as it's really too personal and there are too much inner thoughts and feelings that are hard to describe.

But one thing i really wish to pay a tribute to ~ is his love for children. When he loved us all, every one of us, his nephews, nieces, grand nephew and neices even though he had none of his own. Like his name suggested, Hai ~ meaning ocean. His generosity and love towards us was big and boundless like the ocean.
Below are photos of my two of my nieces, his grand nieces, the children that he showered so much love on.



In my memory with love always ~ my 3rd Uncle Hai

Beefy Intentions

Pardon the title but there's something to it that i like to put in down in words. =)

Sparked off by a little side talk i had with Wi at Funan Mac's while having a little snack. Btw, that's right after we attended the fotos exhibition (haha, just thought to mention it again in this entry since i believe it's really worth dropping in).

Wi related to me how Macs mixed up his orders (home delivery) a couple of days back. In his orders included a chicken fantastic meal but a beef fantastic burger was delivered instead. As he did not wish to keep his family members waiting, he decidedly accepted the food sent. So ending up eating a beef burger instead of a chicken. Mentioned in the passing that he felt bad about it as he worships Kwan Yin at home and he shouldn't be eating beef in front of Kwan Yin.

I made a suggestion to Wi that he did not have to feel bad about it and there are other ways to look at the same situation. First of all, i clarified to him, one do not differentiate between eating chicken, beef or another type of meat in the buddhist context. Eating meat is discouraged for all lay practictioners while vegetarian on the other hand is encouraged.

In Buddhism, all sentient beings are considered be equal, all born with an underlying Buddha Nature to be realised. If we look at it from a more material sense, then we are all equal in our desire to be happy and free from suffering. It's the same from the smallest insect to the largest mammals that we share our living space with, no being wish to be in pain and agony. =)

Reflecting for a while, i mentioned that he might have made a much better decision in accepting the order. By doing so, he did not have to keep his family waiting and he did not waste more resources by rejecting the order. In rejecting the order, the delivery man will have to return the food and re-send the correct order. In doing so, more fuel is wasted and more pollution is caused by the extra fumes emitted for the extra trip. Not only that, the beef burger will be rejected and as Mac's cannot keep their food beyond a certain time range, the burger will definitely be thrown away. As our resources are waning, looking from this angle, this might have been a better off decision.

Most importantly, it's our intentions that really counts at the end of the day. Of course, i'm not saying that good intentions coupled with bad actions is good but it is definitely better than bad intentions coupled with bad actions. =) Without perfect wisdom, how can we know if we truly did the right thing. But we can definitely rest easy if our intentions are perfect from the start. Mate, rest easy for you have made the decision out of love for your family. It's the loving intention that matters. =)

Burmese Days - A Photo Exhibition

Visit a photo exhibition held by Wi's boss at MICA building last Saturday. Name's Tuck Loong and he's quite an accomplished photographer and designer. The exhibition will be on till 6th March with a slide show starting at 2 p.m. every sat. You may visit the photographers gallery for more info.

Enjoyed the way he captured the moments, how he made use of the natural light conditions to enhance his composition. Quite a master and i was particularly drawn to his people portraits (felt he had done a most excellent job on it though he mentioned in passing to me that portraits were not exactly his forte). Really loved the way how direct eye contact were made with the subjects.

My favourite photo - a young monk, age around 5 - 7, lying down on a bench with one of his hand resting on a sleeping cat. Gave feeling of peace, calmness and just being in the moment, in touch with the surrounding beings that shared ths living space. =)

My Fallen Thanks! =)

Had a nasty fall on sunday during the regular blading session. Er, if there are any parents out there, please watch your kids and do give them your guidance on park safety. =) I think it will be nice if you can do that.

Though i managed to jump out of the way to prevent a collision onto the little kid (kiddo did a u-turn without looking behind for traffic) but there's really no guarantee that anyone of us will be able to do the same in the future. i believe this sort of accidents can be easily avoided if we are more mindful of other road users and park safety. It's bad enough if we adults injure ourselves but i dread to think what injury children may sustain if somebody my size or bigger crash into them.

Like to really give thanks to Ma, Tr, Dy, Ya & Fe for being so warm and helpful! They got me all the temporary medical supplies, tissues and drinks i needed. Really it's not painful. =) The pain is worse if we keep dwelling on it, so i chose to dwell on the kindness showered by my frends instead. =) When the mind concentrates, it naturally calms. There is pain but we need not suffer. =)

Thanks to Se and Ev for asking after me today. Also my gratitude to the nice doc who dressed my wounds today (though i have no idea what she applied). Last but not least, my parents for giving me a new dressing last nite! =)

My heartfelt thanks again to all the mentioned people for the kindness shown! =)

Say Thanks!

Something interesting happened during lunch yesterday. =)

As per usual when i lunched at foodcourt in ST, i take vege food. It was no exception. Queued, picked my food, gave thanks to the auntie who arranged my food. Paid my dues to the young cashier lady and when she gave my change, i said thanks again.

To my surprise, she spoke. Please don't get the wrong idea but it's really because she's the quiet type and i don't recall her saying a single word to me or much to anyone else save the auntie. Haha, what came out of her mouth was really a surprise to me.

She said, "Do you have to say thanks everytime and at least once to each of us?" I replied to her that it is only nice to do so. She said, "Still, don't have to do it all the time.. and why?" "Why? Cos you are selling food to me and i'm thankful for that. Since without you, i will not be able to fill my stomach.", i said. Saying so, she gave me a "bewildered look" and went back going about her tasks.

In Zen context, there are 4 blessings that we should constantly reflect upon and be grateful. They are namely our parents, our country, all sentient beings and the triple gems. In Zen, we also encourage noble 8 fold path, they are namely, right view, right understanding, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.

When we talk about the 4 blessings, we are actually touching on the subject of inter-being. That we cannot exist without each other, that we are all inter-dependent on one another. Without the auntie selling vege food, i will not be able to take vege food. This relates to gratefulness to the blessing of sentient beings. Furthermore, all practitioners are encouraged to take more vege food as to reduce the demand for meat. This will in turn reduce killings of livestock. This relates to the nble 8 fold path esp on the aspects of right view, right understanding and right action. =)

Hopefully in time to come, the young lady will one day appreciate the notion of inter-being and understand the intention behind my thanks! =) At the same time, i give thanks to you, my viewer for allowing me this chance to express my views to you! =)

An Open Heart

A book by Dalai Lama, one of the leading spiritual teachers of our time. In this book, he invites the reader regardless of their background, race & religion to open their compassionate and kind hearts.

He stresses on the fact that we are very much born similar, similar in our innate desire to be happy and without suffering. That all of us have the very same underlying potential to enjoy blissful peace and a calm mind.

With such an understanding in mind, we open our hearts to the people around us, to see them as equals and to start on a path of kindness. In the book, he also prescribed some techniques used in the Tibetan Buddhism to cultivate a lasting compassion for all beings.

More than often, we are caught up in the whirls of this material world. Sometimes so caught up in it that we become unmindful of the present moment. Instead, we keep going backward or forward in search. During the process, we hurt ourselves and others, be it knowingly or unknowingly. All these stems from our fundamental ignorance.

Ignorance of what? ~ ignorance of the treasures we already have in life. The treasures includes your family, friends and everything, even the trees around that provides us with shelter and oxygen. Ignorant that we have no true self and that all are dependant on one another.

This is because that is. We cannot be here in this very moment if conditions did not exist right for us. Example, a tree cannot be here if there is no sun, no water, no earth. All conditions had to exist before it can transform from a seed into a tree. Looking deeply like this, we can see that the whole cosmos exist within us. Every single factor has to be just right in order for us to be here in this exact moment. Isn't it wonderful just to be alive? =)

Why not open the heart to embrace and treasure this moment, the people and all things that is already surrounding us? Don't look elsewhere, all we need is already here and now. We just need to open our kind hearts. =)

CNY Fireworks Fotos!

If you're wondering what i've been up to recently ~ it's fotos time again. Fireworks every nite at River Hong Bao for a total of 17 nites.... How can i let slip the chance, went for 4 nites of it. =)

Here's my take on it, it's not the best but i still hope ya enjoy! =)

The Hidden Messages in Water

A book by Jap scientist Masaru Emoto to introduce the reader to his revolutionary works. Through years of research and experiments, he found out water molecules are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings.

Making use of high speed photography, he discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. Water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words formed brilliant, complex snowflake patterns. However, water from polluted sources or water exposed to negative thoughts formed incomplete, asymmetrical patterns.

Click here to see various breath-taking crystals formed with exposure to words of love, peace and happiness.

Armed with such a wonderful discovery, Masaru Emoto constantly spreads his messages of love and gratitude through published works and seminars over the world. He believes as humans are made up of 70% water, if we can constantly generate good thoughts, we can better ourselves and our surroundings. =)

It's an easy read with a good number of the crystals pics shown within the book. Thumbs up for the pics! =)

There Is No Suffering

A Commentary on the Heart Sutta by Chan (Zen) Master Sheng-Yen.

Just finished reading couple days back for the second time. Definitely a whole new experience all over again. Nothing like the first time.

How should i describe my first time reading the book? It most intellectually simulating and Master struck me as a most profoundly wise person with a very deep understanding of Zen. He is sharp, clear and concise in his commentary. A person more than worthy to be called a Master and a scholar of the Zen lineage.

Before i go on any further, let me relate what the Heart Sutta is and why it is one of the suttas held in the highest regards by practitioners around the world. Heart Sutta is just over a page long but it distills the teachings of the Buddha (where Zen has it roots stem from) to their purest form.

In Zen, one is encouraged to cultivate a beginner's mind. To constantly see things anew, with equanimity. This second read was definitely a whole new feeling. As i read the commentary, it felt as if it was the first time. The commentary opened up to me in a different light.

Saw it more than an intellectual read, it resonated with my daily affairs ~ how i think and act. It became something of a reflective and contemplation medium. To see things as they truly are, past our six senses, past our consciousness, the non-duality nature of all phenomena.

Four Noble Truths ~ "There is suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering, path to cessation of suffering."

In the Heart Sutta ~ "There is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no cessation of suffering, and no path. There is no wisdom, there is no attainment."

Amazing isn't it? =)

Fat "Sundae"

Rained during the weekend ~ no skating... Haha, my parents really should consider a side-line as part-time weather forecasters. =)

My folks predicted (in a jokingly manner) that it will rain the moment i step into East Coast. They almost had it spot on. The moment M,T and i reached Katong area, it rained. There goes the once a week skate session.

Settled down at Macs in Marine Parade ~ instead of burning calories, decided to store some. Had some fries ~ didn't really feel enough ~ went for a hot fudge sundae. =) It's really enjoyable to have it once in awhile (can't have it every weekend, doesn't go down well with a thirsty throat after the skate). Hmmm... that thick chocolate syrup. =D

That's my fat sunday (sundae)! =)

Sending Off Deities

It's sunday and not sure if any of you guys know what day it is. It is a day of great importance to most chinese. It is the 23rd day of the last lunar month. Tonight is when we send the deities in our home back to heaven.

The deities will take a short break from their earthly duties and report all events that transpired on earth to the Jade Emperor. Haha, that includes all deeds, no matter good or bad, that transpires in your household. That's the reason why we have nian gao (a sweet chinese cake) as a part of the offerings to the deities. To sweeten them up so that they will sweeten their reports of us. =)



It doesn't matter if you think it pure supersition or you strongly believe in their existence. What truly matters is the underlying meaning behind it, to be more pure in our dealings. It is a reminder to us to be constantly mindful of our intentions, speech and actions. This is why sometimes it is good to go back to our roots and traditions, to touch ourselves and the teachings of our forefathers. =)

To Love, Be Loved ~ A Zen-like Reflection

Been reading up recent blog entries by various friends and Ja (a friend that i knew during my Perth trip) put up in one of the recent entries ~ "To love and be loved in return"

Line caught my eye and i knew immediately that i will very much like to do some sort of Zen-like reflection on these words. =) If there's any unintentional deviation from Zen's teachings, it's really my lack of right understanding.

To love ~ just like what Enya sang in her recent album Amarantine, "when you give your love away, it opens your heart and everything is new." How is like to love? In Zen context, one should love unconditionally and without attachments. Suffering stems from our fundamental ignorance and attachments. Without these, there will be no afflictions. When we know how to love unconditionally without expecting anything in return, without any form of attachments, our heart will truly open itself. We will become somewhat like a child ~ boundless and endless joy at every single simplest present moment. Joy in simplicity.

Be loved in return ~ this is probably the simpler of the two. You may ask, "Why? Isn't getting someone to love me in return harder? After all, there is no guarantee that he/she may love me back?" If you think this way, then you have not learn how to love as mentioned earlier. You give your love because you expect to be loved in return. If you give without any attachment, you will not be vexed by the fact that people do not appreciate it. You will constantly busk in the joy of giving your love generously.

If every moment is spent in this manner, are you not blissful? You are not suffering, not angry but you are peaceful and calm. Isn't that wonderful? People try all means to make themselves happy with the simple reason that they love themselves. If we are that blissful and happy, are we not loving and taking good care of ourselves? In this case, you've already loved yourself in return. =)

童夢奇緣

One of the latest Andy Lau films that i caught on discs. Applause to Teddy Chan the director for the excellent direction he provided for this film and the cast for a most commendable performance. =)

This is definitely one of the better HK films i've seen in recent times. Very enchanting story plot to begin with and it's wonderfully coupled with a most unexpected ending (not anti climax sort of ending but definitely not a fairy tale ending).

If you wish to see this film, try not to read any further ~ might spoil your enjoyment of the show. Haha, and i have no wish to spoil your day...

.
.
.

Here goes ~

In the film, Guang is a kid who puts the blame for the death of his mum (suicide) on his father and stepmother. He tries all means to make life difficult for them and badly wishes to be free of his family.
 

Through fate, he meets a stranger who invented a potion that speeds up one's life process. Guang tries to steal it but ends up breaking the test tube. Though broken and the potion spilled, his blood is already tainted with the formulae (a cut on the hand by the shattered glass). Next morning, he wakes up a man in twenties.

As a young adult, Guang is fascinated by the seemingly endless possibilities placed right in his face. Things like standing up for his buddy, saving him from the bullies, chasing after his pretty teacher, permission to drink and many more. However, he realises soon that it is not all fun and that there is a heavy price to pay... ~ he's growing old too rapidly.

He soon realises a number of truths including the fact that his stepmother is really the first wife, not the third party as he always thought. He also realises how much unconditional love his father has been giving him and how hard the father is salvaging to keep the family going. "Sometimes the truth is not what we perceived it to be" ~ very nicely done in the film to remind us not to be too judgemental or critical. At the same time, not to be overly attached to our self-formed opinions. Realising his own folly, he goes back to the inventor and ask for an antidote in hope to revert all things to its original stage.

When Guang ask for an antitode, the inventor said there isn't one. Guang broke down and regrets badly his actions. The old fella said, "Life is a process that is irreversible but no matter how short a time you have left, there is always hope." Really loved the way it's being said ~ very zen like, shows that it doesn't matter how much time is spent but if one learns to treasure the present moment, if one puts in the effort, it is never too late. Afterall, the past is gone, future yet to come and we only have the present. A moment spent in diligence and love is better than years spent in laziness and hatred.

Heehee, guess i wrote too much...

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

A must see film if you are one of those kids that were deeply enthralled by the tv series screened on our local television network in our younger days! And i was definitely one of those kids! =)

If you are wondering, i'll just give you some bit and pieces of info about it. The current movie and the tv series made in the 80's are based on the second book in the series known as the Chronicles of Narnia (7 books altogether if i'm not mistaken).

Animals are given a makeover in the show. In this magical world behind the doors of a wardrobe, all of them are bestowed with human intellect, characteristics and the ability to speak. Some, like the beavers, reminds you of good-natured neighbours while some, like the wolves, reminds you of unscrupulous evil-doers that will stoop to nothing to reach their goals.

Of course, it is not without its share of mythical creatures. They include the proud and noble centuars, smart and watchful griffons and many more. No matter how special or uncanny these mythical creatures are, they all bow to one true king ~ Aslan (the Lion).

Though a lion is not a mythical creature, it is deemed the center role and held in the highest regard in the film. Not that it is not majestic looking but it is really king because of its unconditional love for its subjects and its unparrallel wisdom (that the Witch in the show can in no way compare, no matter how cunning and devious she maybe).

This only proves how important it is to be sincere in your dealings with people around you, as the true-self will prevail. And lies can never diminish the truth, no matter how well thought and planned the lies are. Not only that, there are a great number of virtues and morals that the film imparts ~ kinship, determination, faith, trust, etc... I'll leave it to you to discover its magic like i did. =)

Xmas Fotos

It rained over the weekend, so had to give the usual skate gathering on sunday a miss. On the other hand, had some time to myself to run through the photos taken during the christmas season. Haha, I know it's a bit late since it's really more of a chinese new year mood now but hey guys, try to enjoy. =)
 

Self-Righteous...

That's the word i'll like to use to describe my department head. At least that the impression he gave me during our conversation when we had lunch together today.

Some of you guys who happened to be my colleagues will know that there is no such thing as a free lunch with my department head ~ there's always a catch, always an agenda. Hmm, for those who aren't my colleagues, let me recount what conversed during the lunch and you decide if the heading is appropriate..

My dept head invited me for lunch and this is probably the fourth or fifth time he did during these five years (since i've been working under him). Most of the time, he used it as opportunity to dish out advices based on his very own life experiences. Some of the advices are good, some are bad but no matter what i'm grateful he shared.

What really grinds on me was the fact he tends to be very critical and judgmental about people. Today was no exception. Haha, i should have seen it coming... Guess he wanted to know why i don't mix around in the office especially within the dept anymore. Admittedly, i've not been talking in the office lately especially for the last one year plus.

Asked me how my parents and siblings are doing. Told him family's doing fine. Here's the big question - he finally asked how am i coping with work and how i felt about the job rotation he intiated about 1 to 2 months back. i'm supposed to switch job parameters with my senior executive. Btw, i'm a staff at support level. She's in a senior supervisory post.

Told him in my opinion, the switch came at a very bad timing. A time when we are closing the books for the year, preparing the docs for audit and various submissions. In the midst of that, we are supposed to guide each other in our new job aspects when we are already up to the neck, already doing overtime. Told him i pity my senior exec as she's the one who has to juggle all these handing taking over as she's in the supervisory position. All these could be easier if we waited till april or so which is our "lull period".

Well, he differed. Told me to see it as a challenge and he salutes my exec cos she's doing pretty well. He believes leadership quality is brought forth in times of adversity. So, she's really shinning right now esp when her dad is very sick and is in need of constant medication and care. He said, "Even though i'm sure there are times when she would like to spend more time with her dad but she has such qualities and ownership of her work that she will complete the work no matter how."

Yup, no matter how is really the word - i left office at 10.30p.m and she's still working. Pity pity.. This when i felt self-righteous is the word to describe him. Did he ask if she sees it as challenge or a burden? So, did he decidedly play big brother and choose for her? Maybe she does see it as a challenge but from what i gathered, i seriously doubt so. If it's really a challenge and she finds it interesting, guess she wouldn't be lamenting and banging table away on a regular basis...

A really understanding boss will not increase her work load at this junction but rather choose a more appropriate timing to ease the change in a much smoother manner. What appalls me was the fact he knew she had problems at home, needed a more stable work timing and yet decidedly add on these unnecessary work. She doesn't even need him to take any load off her, all she needed was just no more addition to the tons she had to begin with. I just pray that things will have a better turn for her. =)

No matter how appalling it was, there's always something to be learned from it. If we are ever in such a situation, i think we should try to put ourselves in their shoes, ask and listen to what they have to say before deciding what's possiby best for them and not to be too self-opinionated in our thinking. Afterall, this also part of the mindfulness training. Mindfulness of others. =)